1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to means for restraining the movement of a child during X-ray examination and for protecting selected areas on the child's body from X-ray radiation. More specifically, it relates to apparatus which facilitates such restraint while an X-ray photograph of the hip is being taken and which shields the gonads of that child from radiation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recent and continuing improvements in the sensitivity of X-ray film emulsions have greatly increased resolution and dramatically reduced the X-ray radiation intensity required to produce useful images of the human body. However, even such low intensity radiation is known to be potentially harmful and it is established practice to limit exposure to only those portions of the body which must be imaged. This commonly is accomplished with adult patients by covering the non-target portions of the body with a blanket containing a radiation opaque material such as lead. This, however, is not always a practical method of shielding the gonads during X-ray examinations of the hip, lower spine or other portion of the pelvic region.
In such examinations, the patient is positioned supine on an X ray examination table with its Pelvic region below the X-ray tube and directly above a drawer in the table which contains an X-ray film cassette. Generally, anterior/posterior or AP exposures are made in two positions; i.e., with the legs extended and parallel and with the legs extended in a frog leg position so that they are separated by approximately 90.degree.. Protection of the gonads is provided by a lead shield which is attached to the X-ray tube assembly and is held close beneath the tube so as to cast a downward shadow.
Since the X-ray tube generally is a meter or more above the examination table, the position of the shield must be very careful adjusted to properly focus the shadow on the patient's gonads. The patient must remain motionless from the time it is positioned on the examination table until the X-ray tube discharge, as even a small movement could expose the gonads or blur the film image. While adults are capable of remaining motionless for prolonged periods, infants and most small children are not.
In order to reduce the possibility that child movement might expose its gonads to radiation or that it might blur the X-ray film image, it is customary to place the child on its back directly on the X-ray film cassette and to have a parent grasp its thighs to hold its legs extended and flat against the cassette for the time required to focus the tube mounted gonadal shield and to expose the film. This not only unnecessarily exposes the hands and arms of the parents to radiation, but is not always totally effective in preventing either film blurring or undesirable exposure of the gonads of a squirming child.